Courtesy/Brooks Bandits

By Jesse Gill

SPORTS

Brooks Bandits have three players set to represent Latvia at World Juniors

Dec 16, 2025 | 9:03 AM

The BCHL‘s Brooks Bandits will have three players playing for Team Latvia at the 2026 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships in Minnesota.

Defencemen Harijs Cjunskis and Krists Retenais are joined by forward Dmitrijs Dilevka on their national team roster for the second year in a row for the group of 19-year-old players.

Dilevka returned from injury during the Bandits’ recent road trip and made an immediate impact with three points in three games.

“[Dilevka] was out for quite a bit, and to see him score two goals in one game after this long period of time [of being out], I am very happy for him,” said teammate Harijs Cjunskis in a statement from the Bandits.

“I think he is playing just as well now as he was before the injury.”

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Latvia opens its tournament with a round-robin matchup against Team Canada on Dec. 27.

The Latvians upset Canada during last year’s event with a 3-2 shootout win. The Saturday game will be one calendar year since that contest.

Latvia will continue the round-robin on Dec. 28 against Finland, Dec. 30 against Denmark, and Dec. 31 with a game against Czechia.

“We’ve got three top-ranked teams to play against. For us, it is a must-win against Denmark,” Cjunskis said.

“We need to get at least two points in that game and get into the quarter finals.”

For Retenais, the tournament carries a familiar feel.

“It kinda feels the same. I know what to expect,” Retenais said in a statement from the Bandits.

Retenais, Cjunskis and Dilevka played in all five games for Latvia last year.

Dilevka had the lone point, picking up an assist against the United States in group play.

Cjunskis said he feels more comfortable, but believes this year’s experience will be different.

“It does feel different this year,” Cjunskis said in a statement from the Bandits.

“We already have a year of experience, and now we are veterans. We know how it was last year, and this year it won’t be new for us.”

Retenais is in his second season with the Bandits after joining the team partway through the 2024-25 season. He has seven assists in 27 games this year.

Dilevka is playing in his first season with the Bandits and has 13 points in 15 games, including 8 goals.

Cjunskis is in his first season with the Bandits after playing last season with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the QMJHL. He has five points in 18 games with three goals this season.